288 ECOLOGY [Bot. Absts. 



of woody plants including seedling trees, the latter being a closed association with few spe- 

 cies and almost no trees. Characteristic shrubs of the thicket type are Ulex, Primus spinosa 

 and Crataegus. The herbaceous flora of the woodland-scrub is abundant but that of the 

 thicket scanty and confined to the margin. Lists of species from different stages of transi- 

 tions from scrub to forest are given and the relations of the associations to natural woodland 

 pointed out. (Abstract in Jour. Ecol. 6: 234. 191S.)— Geo. D. Fuller. 



1978. Schroter, C. Uber die flora des Nationalparkgebietes im Unterengadin. [On the 

 flora of the National Park district in the Lower Engadine.] Jahrb. Schweiz. Alpenclub. 52: 

 170-211. 29 fig. 5 pi. 1918. — A brief discussion of the establishment, extent and purpose of 

 the Swiss National Park is followed by a general survey of its ecological features and a de- 

 scription of the dominant plant associations of the region. The author emphasizes the pos- 

 sible use of the preserve as a laboratory in which numerous, significant ecological experi- 

 ments can be conducted since the range of conditions represented is so varied and extensive. 

 — P. D. Strausbaugh. 



1979. Small, James. The origin and development of the Compositae. Chapter 10. Geo- 

 graphical distribution. New Phytol. 18: 1-35. PL 1-6. 1919. — A historical summary of the 

 geographical distribution of Angiosperms is followed by a discussion of Senecio. This is 

 considered to have arisen in the Bolivian region of South America, and to have migrated, 

 mostly along mountain ranges, to North America, thence by Behring Strait to Asia and Eur- 

 ope, and thence to Africa. Two pages are here devoted to the ecology of the genus. — Then 

 follows a discussion of the distribution (6 p.) and ecology (2 p.) of the tribes of the Compos- 

 itae. The author supports Willis' Age and Area hypothesis from the facts of the distribution 

 of the various tribes. — The bibliography includes 135 titles. The plates consist of graphic 

 maps illustrating the genera and tribes.— 7. F. Lewis. 



1980. Soper, E. K., H. F. Bergman, and others. The peat deposits of Minnesota. 

 Minnesota Geol. Surv. Bull. 16. 261 p. 17 pi., 10 fig. 4 maps. May, 1919.— Peat is abun- 

 dant in the northeastern half of Minnesota, as in many other glaciated regions with conif- 

 erous forests. About one-fifth of the area of the state was originally swamp, and about half 

 of this, or 5,217,000 acred has at least 5 feet of peat. The total quantity of workable peat 

 is estimated at nearly 7,000,000,000 tons. Several counties on the southwestern or prairie 

 portion of the state are reported to have no peat at all. — The ecological feature of Minnesota 

 peat bogs are very similar to those described by other writers in the same state and farther 

 east in the same latitude. A special chapter on the vegetation of Minnesota swamps is con- 

 tributed by H. F. Bergman. The remainder of the bulletin is mainly economic. — Roland 

 M. Harper. 



1981. Stevens, G. W., and C. W. Shannon. Plant life in Oklahoma. Oklahoma Geol. 

 Surv. Bull. 27: 215-246 1918 — Includes a sketch of the plant geography of the state, and an 

 annotated list of trees and shrubs, the latter taken with some modifications from Circular 4 

 of the Survey, by C. W. Shannon (1913)— Roland M. Harper. 



1982. Visher, S. S. The geography of South Dakota. A detailed discussion of the surface, 

 resources, climate, plants, animals, and human geography, including the history of the area. 

 South Dakota Geol. Nat. Hist. Surv. Bull. 8. 177 p. 52 fig. 1919— In Chapter 6 (p. 6S-108), 

 entitled "The bio-geography," plants and animals are discussed together and classified by 

 regions and habitats. A few illustrations of vegetation are included. — Roland M. Harper. 



19S3. Watson, W. Plants in flower at the end of December, 1918. Jour. Botany 57: 

 100-101. Apr., 1919. 



1984. Willis, John C. The age and area hypothesis. Science 47: 626-628. June, 1918. 

 — In replying to criticisms of Sinnott and Berry, the author points out that, since the hypoth- 

 esis can be used successfully as a basis for predictions concerning the distribution and compo- 

 sition of a given flora, "it deserves at least a very careful investigation before being rejected." 

 — P. D. Strausbaugh. 



